The Lethifold
by Harriet Potter2
Summary: Gruesome.


The Lethifold.

Marigold walked into the potions classroom. She looked around her. Professor Snape was nowhere to be seen. Disappointed, she sank into the seat nearest Harry Potter. She was friends with Harry. You may find this hard to believe, but she was in Gryffindor, but still fancied Snape. 

"Hi, Harry," she said moodily.

"What's up?" asked Harry.

"Well..."

Harry looked at Marigold. 

"Marigold, I can read you like a book. Something's up. So what' s up?"

Marigold took a long look at Harry. He looked so serious. Then she smiled and laughed.

"Harry, you look so serious!" she laughed.

Harry went red. "Well you looked as though you were going to cry!"

"Well...." She smiled sheepishly and Harry suddenly understood.

"Oh, no!"

"SShhhhh!! Not so loud!" she squeaked.

"You don't-"

"She doesn't what Mr. Potter?" said a voice behind Harry. He spun round. Standing right behind him, was Professor Snape. He had been listening to their conversation. 

"Oh..Nothing Professor, it isn't important,sir" said Harry. He went a light pink color. He'd nearly blurted out Marigold's secret when Snape was standing right next to him!

"If it isn't important, then 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor for idle chitchat." said Snape. He turned and glided to his desk, his cloak fluttering behind him.

"That was close!" whispered Harry.

"Now take out your books and open them to page nine-hundred and thirty-two. We will be studying Wiggenweld Potions." said Snape lazily. "Now,can anyone tell me how Wiggenweld Potions are used?"

Hermione's hand shot up. Harry smiled weakly. Snape never chose Hermione. Sure enough he ignored her.

"Miss Greenfield, how about you?" Marigold sighed. She loved the way he elongated the sound of the S's.

"Miss Greenfield, I said how about you?"

Marigold snapped to attention. "Err...How about me what?"

Snape glared at at her with annoyance. "Tell us what Wiggenweld potions are used for." he hissed. Draco Malfoy sniggered. Prat, thought Marigold. I'll show him!

She cleared her throat. "Wiggenweld potion is a restorative. You use it if you are badly injured, or if you need energy." she said loudly.

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor." 

Harry stared at Snape, before sliding his eyes along to Marigold.

"Now, write out the first page on Wiggenweld Potions." 

There was a scramble for quills and parchment. When they had all found quills and parchment, Snape got up and started to glide slowly around the classroom, occasionally peering over each pupils' shoulder to make sure that everyone was doing as they were told.

Harry looked up to make sure Snape wasn't looking, and hissed at Marigold to listen.

"Marigold, you have a crush on him don't you?" he hissed so that only Marigold could hear him.

Marigold nodded.

"You do?!" he hissed loudly.

"She does what Mr. Potter?" said a voice behind him.

It was Snape again. "Well?" he urged. He looked curious

"Nothing," said Harry.

"Surely if you find it interesting, the whole class will find it interesting." said Snape.

Luckily the bell rang. 

"Homework! Copy out the next TWO pages on Wiggenweld potions and bring it in on Thursday!" yelled Snape over the babble of voices.

Marigold walked slowly out of the class, staring at Snape with half closed eyes. Then Snape knew.

The next day at dinner, Dumbledore stood up. "Excuse me for interrupting this lovely dinner, but our Professor Snape has an announcement."

Snape stood up. He was wearing a rather thick cloak and rather ugly facial expression.

"Evening students," he said stiffly. "Just to inform you, I heard a noise in my bedroom last night, and I have reason to believe it was a pupil." He shot a look at Marigold. Then there was a soft rustling sound. Marigold saw Snape's cloak rippling, even though it wasn't breezy. Snape carried on talking.

"As you all know, no one is allowed to enter a teacher's private chambers, so, if you do not wish to be suspended, or expelled,"

But Marigold wasn't listening. She was watching the cloak. It was sneakily wrapping itself around his arms. The noise came again. Still, Snape went on talking. 

"I need not remind you what happened to the last person to tried to enter my chambers." A shiver went around the Great Hall. Marigold however, did not shiver. She was still staring at the cloak. Suddenly it hit her. It wasn't a cloak. It was a Lethifold!! Without thinking, she stood up and screeched ;"Expecto Patronum!!"

Snape screamed. The Patronus had hit Snape instead of the Lethifold. Writhing in pain, Snape fell to the ground. Startled by the excitement, the Lethifold headed for the exit. 

Marigold yelped and pushed through the screaming crowd trying to avoid the Lethifold. She was trying to get to Snape, but it was hard, as everyone was running around in different directions like headless chickens. Marigold looked around to find a way to get away from the jumble of students, and saw Harry signalling to her to go to him. When she got to Harry, the first thing he said was, "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" she replied. 

"Warn people before you use a powerful spell like that!"

"Oh, so I was supposed to say 'Excuse me Professor, but you are wearing a Lethifold'?!"

Harry considered this for a minute.

"No. You're right. I'm sorry." he said quietly.

Marigold smiled and looked up at the teachers' table.

There were only three professors up there, Flitwick, Dumbledore and, of course, Snape.

"Come on," she said, and half dragged Harry up to the teachers' table.

As she approached, she got snippets of the conversation.

"We'll have to hide him from view, the pupils will be sick if they see-" That was Flitwick.

"Yes, but how? I expect once the Lethifold has gone, there will be a crowd of pupils-" That was Dumbledore.

"I know a powerful charm-"

"Excuse me, Professors," That was Marigold. Professor Flitwick gave a startled squeal and ran over to Snape's motionless form, and Professor Dumbledore nearly jumped back a mile.

"Oh! Marigold!" squeaked Professor Flitwick. "It's just you!"

"Marigold, why don't you go to your dormitory?" said Professor Dumbledore. They both looked shaky, and looked as though Marigold was in danger of being bitten by a rabid dog if she didn't go to her dormitory.

"Is there something wrong Professors?" asked Harry, who was standing next to Marigold.

"Oh, no! Of course not! Why don't the two of you go to your dormitories?" said Professor Flitwick. 

"Professor, what are you hiding?" asked Marigold.

"Don't ask," said Flitwick, shakily.

The two Professors looked worried. Then Dumbledore said something to Flitwick, who, reluctantly, stepped away from Snape. Marigold wished she hadn't asked. Lying motionless on the ground, was Snape, covered in blood. His chest looked as though it had been blown up with dynamite. She could see out of the corner of her eye that Harry had gone pure white. He opened his mouth to say something but all he could do was make strange squeaking noises.

"That is what your Patronus did." said Dumbledore, gently. Marigold hadn't realised that her Patronus was that powerful. That must have been extremely painful, she thought. She looked at his blown-up chest again. She could see his ribs. One or two were broken, and one had disintegrated. Marigold felt sick. She looked at Harry, who was taking out his wand. He muttered something under his breath. Sparks shot at Snape and his chest healed. Suddenly, Snape's face twitched. His eyes opened. Marigold noticed that Snape wasn't all healed. He had a nasty cut at the corner of his left eye. It must have hurt, because Snape shut it again. Harry started walking towards the main corridor. 

"Where are you going Harry?" asked Dumbledore.

"Gryffindor Tower," he replied.

That evening, Harry got up and headed towards the portrait hole.

" Where are you going now?" asked Marigold.

" To visit Snape in the hospital wing."

"Great, I'll come with you." 

When they got to the hospital wing, Professor Snape tried to sit up, but Madam Pomfrey pushed him back down.

"You need your rest, Professor,"said Madam Pomfrey firmly

"But Poppy," Snape protested. Harry had to fight a mad desire to laugh. Snape sounded like a child, except that his voice was rough and sounded like a broken talking toy at the moment.

Madam Pomfrey didn't let Snape finish his sentence. She took out what Harry recognised to be Wiggenweld potion, poured a small drop into a spoon and shoved it into Snape's mouth. Harry was now shaking with silent laughter. Snape swallowed and opened his mouth to complete his sentence, but Madam Pomfrey had left the room. He sank into his pillow, and Marigold and Harry approached him.

"Harry, I owe you more than just my life, you saved me." said Snape softly. He wasn't looking at Harry or Marigold. He was staring at himself. 

"Look at me," he said. "I could have died. I suppose that I'm lucky the Patronus wasn't more powerful." Marigold felt sick. He was right. If her Patronus had been more powerful, he would have died. They left their get well gifts and left.

That night, Marigold took her own invisibility cloak and went quietly down to the hospital wing. Snape was sound asleep. She put a "sorry" card on his bedside table. Then she turned to Snape. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Then she leaned over and gave him a small kiss.

She left the hospital wing and went upstairs. When she got to the girls' dormitory, she took off the cloak and folded it carefully. She then walked across the room on tiptoe, and crept silently into bed, so that no one knew that she had gone. 


End file.
